APIIC awaits clearance of Rs 537 crore project under VCIC

VISAKHAPATNAM: Having submitted a proposal of Rs 537 crore for improving infrastructure at the Atchuthapuram node in the district under the Vizag Chennai Industrial Corridor, the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corridor (APIIC) is now awaiting clearance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the project.
According to APIIC sources, the corporation has submitted the proposal seeking funds for setting up a common effluent treatment plant, sewage treatment plant and also for creation of summer storage tanks for the benefit of industries, which will come up under the Atchuthapuram node.In addition to this, the proposal also includes a pipeline of around 28 kms from the Yeluru canal up to Krishnampalem to supply water to the industries on the corridor.
"We are planning to earmark around 400 acres for creation of summer storage tanks with a capacity of around 2000-3000 million litres for the industries, which will come under this node," an APIIC official said. "It will be similar to the Kanithi reservoir, which is used by Visakhapatnam Steel Plant," he added.
The final report of the conceptual development plan prepared by the ADB had also expressed the need to develop reservoirs at key industrial nodes in order to increase the reliability and availability of industrial water.
Sources said that the proposal also includes a 3 million litres per day (mld) capacity for the common effluent treatment plant and a sewage treatment plant to handle around 2 mld at the Atchuthapuram node. A 132 kv substation has also been proposed for meeting the power requirement for industries under the node and APIIC has allocated around 5.5 acres for the substation, sources said.
"By ensuring that we have a sewage treatment plant as well as a common effluent treatment plant, industries will not have to make investments additionally for these facilities. It will be a common facility, which will help in water conservation and will be essential in the long run if industries have to sustain in the region," another APIIC official said.
Pointing out that the Atchuthapuram node may see investments in sectors such as petrochemcials, textiles, pharma, medical equipment manufacturing, electronics and metallurgy, the official said that once the ADB approves the detailed project report, then the tenders required for the different projects would be taken up by the corporation.